Do not delay: make a plan to vote in the upcoming election
We are ruining everything. At least that’s what we’re often told. There’s a popular perception that young people like us are lazy, entitled and disengaged. The list goes on.
We think that perception is wrong. This November, we want you to help us prove it. There’s an easy way for you to do that: voting. Vote on Election Day. Early vote or vote by mail. The choice is yours — as long as you choose to vote.
Voting is your way of making your voice heard, of expressing your opinion. It’s the basic way we participate in our system of democracy. Voting is a right, a privilege and a civic duty — something we all hopefully remember from social studies. It’s also the best way to address the issues that are important to us.
All that we care about is that you vote not the party or political leaning of the person for whom you are voting.
We think that our system works a lot better when all of us are participating and engaging with the process, regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum. Engage with one another. Have difficult conversations. Don’t make the mistake of shouting past one another and remember that it’s possible to disagree with someone civilly.
The Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office, and offices like it, exist to help voters, including students, ensure their voice can be heard through elections.
Since the start of the semester, we’ve been working to spread awareness of voter registration and the importance of casting a ballot.
We don’t know if you’ve heard, but this election is kind of a big deal. Voting in this year’s midterm elections is kind of like buying Apple stock in 1980: It’s not something you want to miss out on. We are entering adulthood and becoming of voting age at an interesting time in our nation’s history, when there are many opportunities to get involved in the democratic process. The foundational piece of that involvement, however, is simply voting.
And here’s the thing about voting: It’s easy. Like, really easy. You can update your registration and request a vote-by-mail ballot online at VoteAlachua.com or the website of the Supervisor of Elections for the county in which you are registered, have that ballot sent right to your front door, spend some time filling it out and put it back in the mailbox. A stamp may or may not be needed, depending on which county you’re voting in, but it’s not needed in Alachua County.
These are some important dates and pieces of information you need to know in order to make sure your voice is heard in this election:
- Early voting in Alachua County will last from Oct. 22 to Nov. 3. Any Alachua County voter can vote at any early voting site. There are six of them, but the one that is of most interest to students is in the Reitz Union Room G-50. Early voting locations are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day this week.
- All vote-by-mail requests must be received by 5 p.m. Oct. 31 statewide. It’s recommended, however, that you request your ballot at least a week before that, because all ballots must be in the Supervisor of Elections office (regardless of the county) by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
- Election Day is Nov. 6. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and you must vote in the polling place you are assigned to.
- Photo and signature ID are required to vote. If you don’t provide an ID, you’ll be required to cast a provisional ballot. More information on accepted forms of ID — there’s a long list — can be found at VoteAlachua.com.
Don’t miss your chance to make your voice heard. Don’t be part of the proof that young people are lazy. Let’s show everyone that young people care.
Julia Schack, Shea O’Malley and Jacob Kovach are outreach communications interns for the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections.
